IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishfull steam ahead
Meaning: To proceed with maximum power and speed.
Example: “The permits came through, so it's full steam ahead with the new bakery.”
Equivalents in other languages
French: Pousser les feux Literally: To push the fires
Origin: From steamships and steam engines, where the order "full steam ahead" meant moving forward at maximum power. The figurative use is common from the late 19th century.
More English idioms
- get by To just barely manage, with money or with one's responsibilities.
- get down to brass tacks To get serious or practical about something.
- get off scot-free To escape the proper or expected punishment; to be acquitted of a crime.
- get one's act together To get control of oneself mentally or physically; to get organized.
- get someone's dander up To irritate or anger moderately.
- get the go-ahead To receive or grant permission to proceed.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
- The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick. Believed by Guinness to be among the hardest in English — 'six/sick/sheikh/sheep' blur in…
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.
Keep exploring